1. Field of the Invention.
The present invention relates to a feeder apparatus, and more particularly, to a bird feeder apparatus with a removable feed tray and a method of securing the feed tray to a feed chamber of the feeder apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
There are many types of bird feeders. One common type is a gravity feed type of bird feeder. This type of bird feeder contains a feed storage chamber and a feed tray. Gravity keeps the feed tray full by pulling seeds from the feed storage chamber. Although this basic concept is widely used, the means of connecting the feed tray to the feed chamber varies. One type of connecting means uses a fixed feed tray to a feed chamber.
The drawback of a fixed tray is that a bird feeder becomes awkward for packaging, shipping, and storage. This is because the fixed feed tray extends out from the feed chamber to allow the birds to perch.
Another drawback to the fixed feed tray is when using some type of materials, a bird feeder becomes heavier than it needs to be, because of the increased stock size and the hardware that is required to fix the feed tray to the feed chamber.
Therefore, there is a need for a feeder apparatus that can be arranged and constructed out of a variety of materials with a removable feed tray to allow shipping and storage with minimal amount of packing materials, yet remaining light weight and convenient for consumers to assemble and use.
It is with respect to these and other considerations that the present invention has been made.
To overcome the limitations in the prior art described above, and to overcome other limitations that will become apparent upon reading and understanding the present specification, the present invention discloses feeder apparatuses and methods of securing the tray of a feeder apparatus to the chamber of a feeder apparatus.
The present invention solves the above-described problems by providing a support structure which secures the tray of a feeder apparatus to the chamber of the feeder apparatus. Also, the support structure is configured and arranged to allow readily dissembling/assembling of the feeder apparatus, particularly for refilling the chamber while in use, and for packaging/storing/shipping the feeder apparatus while not in use.
In one embodiment, a feeder apparatus includes a chamber, a tray, and a support structure which secures the tray onto the chamber, the support structure being engaged at a first end to the chamber, and at a second end to the tray. The support structure includes a support member being generally disposed along a longitudinal axis of the chamber, an elastic member, and a pair of rods being connectable to the support member by the elastic member.
Further in one embodiment, in an assembled configuration, the rods are engaged to the tray by the elastic member, and the support member, the rods, and the elastic member latch the chamber onto the tray. In a packaged/stored configuration, the rods are disengaged from the tray by the elastic member, and the support member, the rods, and the elastic member are stored within the chamber.
Still in one embodiment, the chamber contains feeds while in use, and for storing the support structure while not in use.
Yet in one embodiment, a top of the chamber is engaged with the support member.
In another embodiment, the chamber includes a chamber top and a removable container. The removable container contains feeds while in use and is removed from the feeder apparatus while the feeder apparatus is in a packaged/stored configuration.
Further in another embodiment, the support structure further includes a chain which is connectable to the elastic member. In an assembled configuration, the rods are engaged to the tray by the elastic member, and the support member, the rods, the chain, and the elastic member latch the chamber onto the tray. In a packaged/stored configuration, the support member, the rods, and the elastic member latch the chamber top onto the tray.
Also, in one embodiment, in the packaged/stored configuration, the tray maintains attached to the support member by the elastic member.
Still in one embodiment, the tray has a through hole. The pair of rods are connectable to the support member by the elastic member via the through hole on the tray.
These and various other features and advantages of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and form a part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the invention, its advantages, and the objects obtained by its use, reference should be made to the drawings which form a further part hereof, and to accompanying descriptive matter, in which there are illustrated and described specific examples of an apparatus in accordance with the invention.